Compare towns
Topsham vs Wells vs Casco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Casco has the most people working from home (26.6%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Topsham | Wells | Casco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706 |
11,713Highest |
3,696Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
52±3.3 16% above ME |
| Wells and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$355,500±$58kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642 19% above ME |
$1,350±$297Lowest 19% above ME |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
| Casco and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$3,085Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #66 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.